Pacifier



M. TANNENBAUM ET AL 2,889,829

PACIFIER v June 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 26, 1955 INVENTORS! NVx los Tavmemb @um `lune 9, 1959 M. TANNENBAUM ET AL PACIFIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1955 INVENTORS: n baum and Lkndao Ku.

nited States PACIFIER Application May 26, 1955, Serial No. 511,254

7 Claims. (Cl. 12S-252) The present invention relates to pacifiers, and more particularly to improvements in paciers, commonly used for calming and reducing the anxiety of infants and small children still of sucking age.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of our cofpending application, Serial No. 445,694, iled July 26, 1954, entitled Pacier and now abandoned.

Paciers as used up to now, have a soothing and calming effect on the small child lbecause of associations created more or less instinctively in the mind of the child between the pacier and the nipples through which by breast or bottle feeding, the baby receives its nourishment. Consequently, upon insertion of the pacifier, the baby starts a sucking motion which in itself seems to have a pleasing and soothing effect on the baby.

The disadvantage of known pacifers lies in the obvious difference between such paciers andthe nipples through which the baby actually receives nourishment, that is in the fact, discovered by the baby soon after the insertion of the paciier, that no nourishment is forthcoming.

It has been attempted in the past to overcome this disadvantage by dipping the outside of the pacier, prior to insertion in the babys mouth, into a suitable sweet and viscous liquid, such as honey. Upon insertion of a thus treated pacier in the babys mouth, the baby experiences the pleasant sensation of obtaining nourishment suitable to his taste and needs. However, this satisfactory performance of the pacier is only of short duration. Soon all of the sweet syrupy substance on the outer surface of the paciiier is used up and the disagreeable situation previously described reoccurs.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome these cited disadvantages.

lt is a further object of the present invention to provide a pacier that will enable the baby to receive minute quantities of sweet nourishment over prolonged periods of time.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means through which there can be administered to the baby liquid medicines or medicines soluble in a suitable liquid and in such a way that the intake of such medication takes place slowly over a considerable length of time.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a further reading of the specification and the appended claims.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures l through 8 are different embodiments of the pacitier according to the present invention shown in elevational view partially in cross-section.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig.

atent O r ICC l, a .pacifier is shown having sucking means comprising a hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking member 1 made of elastic sheet material such as natural rubber, artificial rubber or other suitable synthetic materials. Sucking member 1 is made integral with hollow reservoir 2 and communicates with the same through inlet opening 4. Wall 3 separating sucking member 1 from reservoir 2 is part of the structure of both, sucking means 1 and reservoir 2. Small delivery openings 5 are shown at the free end of sucking means 1. These small delivery openings are preferably of such small diameter that they are normally closed by being pressed together by the elasticity of the elastic sheet material of ywhich sucking member Y1 is made, and are opened for the passage `of fluid from the inside to the outside of the hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking member upon exertion of suction on the outside of the same.

Instead of having small delivery openings 5, sucking member 1 may also comprise at its free end a portion 35 made of micro-porous elastic sheet material as shown in Fig. 2. The micro-porous channels in this material nor mally do not permit the passage of fluid but will be sutlciently opened to permit the passage of fluid from the inside to the outside of the bag-shaped sucking member upon exertion of suction on the outside of the same.

In all the various illustrated embodiments of the present invention the sucking means may either be formed with small delivery openings or with a portion made o f micro-porous material.

Referring now again to Fig. l, disk 6 is shown as an annular limiting member mounted in known manner on the elongated sucking means opposite the portion thereof containing the delivery openings, for the purpose of preventing insertion of the pacier into a ychilds mouth beyond the limiting member. The end of reservoir 2 opposite to the sucking member 1 has an inwardly projecting annular bead '7 engaging a corresponding annular groove 8 of a supporting member 9. Attached to supporting member 9 is a carrying ring 10.

As shown in the various illustrated embodiments of the present invention, the carrying ring 10 may be attached to different elements of the pacifler structure.

Supporting member 9 is formed with an inlet opening represented by a threaded bore 11 conically enlarged at its outer end, into which a closing screw 12 as closing means may be inserted. The conical surface of bore 11 and/or the corresponding conical sealing face of screw 12 may ibe provided with a tightening coating in order to obtain an absolutely tight sealing of reservoir means 2.

Preferably the support 9 is Vmade of a material on which a screw of a hard material, for instance a metal screw provides sufficient tightness. Closing screw 12 may also be made of a slightly plastic material so as to provide satisfactory tighteningA on a supporting member 9 made of hard material. The hollow reservoir 2 and supporting member 9 may also be made of a weldable artificial material and may be welded together.

In order to fill the pacier with a fluid such as the fluids earlier described in the specification, the closing screw 12 is screwed oif and a fluid substance is filled into reservoir 2 through the inlet opening l1. Thereafter closing screw 12 is screwed tightly into the inlet opening or bore 11 so that leaking out of the fluid through opening 11 is rendered impossible. The pacifier may now be handed to the child who may slowly suck the uid sub,- stance out of the sucking member 1 of the pacier. Reservoir 2 will hold a considerable quantity of a desired fluid substance notwithstanding the relatively small over-all size of the pacier. It is also possible to fill the viscous substance into the reservoir 2 only, leaving the sucking member empty until vit is inserted into the childs mouth. In this case the child will have to suck for some time before a suicient quantity of the uid substance has flowed from reservoir 2 into sucking member 1 and may be sucked out of the sucking member 1 into the childs mouth through delivery openings 5. This is considered of particularly sanitary benefit because the child will only get the fluid substance after the salivary glands have been fully activated by the preceding sucking action.

After completion of the use of the pacier, the closing screw 12 is again removed, the interior of the pacilier, including both the reservoir and the sucking member, as well as the closing screw are thoroughly cleaned and thereafter the pacifier is again ready to be filled and used.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 2 dilers from the embodiment of Fig. l in that the carrying ring 1i) is attached to the closing screw 12 instead of to support 9. It is the particular advantage of this embodiment to permit the exertion of greater force on the closing screw 12 so that it may be turned relative to the threads of bore 11 even if screw 12 sticks in the threads of bore 11 due to the presence of small quantities of sticking substances therein. Furthermore, the relatively small closing screw 12 will not easily be lost when assembled with the larger carrying ring 10.

The sucking member of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 is not integral with reservoir 2. Sucking member 1 is an independent piece attached to a connecting portion or annular filling member 16. The filling member with its end which is opposite to the sucking member is attached to reservoir 2. Thus, reservoir 2 communicates with sucking member 1 through channel 15 of annular filling member 16. Annular lling member 16 is attached to sucking member 1 and reservoir 2 by a pair of annular grooves engaging annular beads 13 of sucking member 1 and annular beads 14 of reservoir 2 respectively. It is an advantage of this embodiment that sucking member and reservoir are easier and more simply manufactured as separate pieces and that cleaning of reservoir and sucking member is facilitated by dissociating the same from each other.

The paciiier illustrated in Fig. 4 corresponds to the one shown in Fig. 3 with the exception that carrying ring 10 is now attached to closing screw 12 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, sucking member 1 is directly detachably connected to support 9 by means of an annular bead and an annular groove. If made of suitable material, parts 1 and 9 may also be permanently connected by welding. Supporting, or annular lling member 9 is formed in the embodiment of Fig. 5 with a feed opening 17 and has a threaded end 18 opposite to the end provided with an annular groove. Reservoir means comprising reservoir 2 and shaped as hollow closing nut 12 may be screwed onto the threaded upper end 18. The pacier according to this embodiment provides the same capacity as the previously described embodiments while being of considerably shorter length.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate embodiments of the present invention in which the reservoir means include a bellshaped portion 23 and a bottom portion 24 which are assembled by means of threads 25 and 26, as shown in Fig. 6, or by means of snap joint 27, as shown in Fig. 7. Closing screw 12 supports the carrying ring 10 and is fitted into a threaded bore 11 arranged in the bell-shaped portion 23 opposite bottom portion 24.

Bottom portion 24 or reservoir 2 of the pacilier shown in Fig. 6 has attaching means for removably attaching the open end of the hollow elongated sucking means, comprising a center recess 2S with an opening in which sucking member 1 is clamped fast by means of clamping member 29 having a channel 30 interconnecting reservoir 2 and the hollow space of sucking member 1. The bottom portion of reservoir 2 is made of a resilient material so as to permit removal of clamping member 29 together with sucking member 1.

This embodiment of the pacifier has the particular advantage that the reservoir 2 and more specifically its bottom portion 24 replaces the annular limiting member 6 of the embodiments shown in Figs. l-5. When the bottom portion 24 is removed from the bell-shaped portion 23 of reservoir 2, the reservoir may easily and thoroughly be cleaned. The capacity of the reservoir 2 is particularly great and the pacier may be used for giving the child its nourishment. The upper face of the clamping member 29 is in the same plane with the innersurface of the bottom portion 24 of the reservoir 2 so that all the liquid contained in reservoir 2 may flow out through channel 30 into sucking member 1 without leaving any residual liquid in reservoir 2.

The portion 24 of the paciiiers shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is removably connected to the bell-shaped portion 23 of the reservoir. Consequently, reservoir 2 may be filled by removing portion 24 and filling the desired liquid substance into the bell-shaped reservoir portion 23. Thereafter portions 23 and 24 are reassembled and the pacier is ready for use.

Consequently, it is not absolutely necessary to provide the pacifier shown in Figs. 6 and 7 with closure means 12. As shown in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8, these closure means may be omitted and carrying ring 10 may be directly attached to a suitable iixed support at the top of bell-shaped portion 23.

As shown in Figs. 6 8, bottom portion 24 may either be plane or slightly conical in order to absolutely assure complete ow of the liquids from the reservoir into the sucking member without leaving any residue in the reservoir.

Obviously, other closing means known in the art and different from those illustrated in the drawing may be used if desired. For instance, a simple stopper or plug closure may be provided in a relatively long annular lling member made of a resilient material. A bayonet catch of any suitable type may also be used if desired.

As previously stated, in all embodiments of the paciiier either small delivery openings 5 or microporous material 35 may be used at the lower end of sucking member 1. With the use of microporous material a ltering effect is simultaneously obtained which may be desirable in many cases in order to make it impossible for the child to suck in solid contaminations which might have been lled into the paciiier.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a pacier, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications Without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by kLetters Patent is:

1. A pacier comprising, in combination, a hollow elongated lbag-shaped sucking means made of elastic sheet material, having at one end at least one small delivery opening of such small diameter as to permit the passage of fluid from the inside to the outside of said bag-shaped sucking means only upon exertion of suction on the outside of the small delivery opening in said bagshaped sucking means and having an inlet opening at the other end for introduction of liquid substance into the interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means; and hollow reservoir means having at one end a feed opening and located with its opposite end on the other end of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means and having a small outlet opening having a crosssectional area being a small fraction of the average crosssectional area of said reservoir means and communicating through said inlet opening with said interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means, whereby upon introduction of a viscous substance into said hollow reservoir means said viscous substance will be prevented to enter said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means through said small outlet opening of said reservoir means until suction is exerted on the outside of said small delivery opening of said bag-shaped sucking means.

2. A pacilier comprising, in combination, a hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means made of elastic sheet material, having at one end at least one small delivery opening of such small diameter as to permit the passage of fluid from the inside to the outside of said bagshaped sucking means only upon exertion of suction on the outside of the small delivery opening in said bagshaped sucking means and having an inlet opening at the other end for introduction of liquid substance into the interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means; hollow reservoir means having at one end a feed opening and located with its opposite end on the other end of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means and having a small outlet opening having a cross-sectional area being a small fraction of the average cross-sectional area of said reservoir means and communicating through said inlet opening with said interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means; and closure means for closing said feed opening in said hollow reservoir means, whereby upon introduction of a viscous substance into said hollow reservoir means said viscous substance will be prevented to enter said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means through said small outlet opening of said reservoir means until suction is exerted on the outside of said small delivery opening of said bag-shaped suck- 1ng means.

3. A pacier comprising, in combination, a hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means made of elastic sheet material including at one end a sucking portion made of micro-porous elastic sheet material and having an inlet opening at the other end for introduction of liquid substance into the interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means; and hollow reservoir means located on the other end of said hollow elongated bagshaped sucking means and having a small outlet opening having a cross-sectional area being a small fraction of the average cross-sectional area of said reservoir means and communicating through said inlet opening with said interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means, whereby upon introduction of a viscous substance into said hollow reservoir means said viscous substance will be prevented to enter said hollow elongated bagshaped sucking means through said small outlet opening of said reservoir means until suction is exerted on the outside of said small delivery opening of said bag-shaped sucking means.

4. A pacier comprising, in combination, a hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means made of elastic sheet material, having at one end at least one small delivery opening and having an inlet opening at the other end for introduction of liquid substance into the interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means; and

hollow reservoir means including a bell-shaped portion and a substantially flat bottom portion removably attached to each other, located on the other end of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means, said substantially llat bottom portion being removably attached to said sucking means, and said reservoir means communicating-through said inlet opening with said interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means.

5. A pacifier comprising, in combination, a hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means made of elastic sheet material, having at one end at least one small delivery opening and having an inlet opening at the other end for introduction of liquid substance into the interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means; hollow reservoir means located on the other end of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means comprising a slightly conical bottom portion formed with a center opening surrounded by attaching means for removably attaching said other end of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means, and a bell-shaped portion removably attached to said bottom portion and having at its end opposite said bottom portion a feed opening; and closure means for closing said feed opening in said bell-shaped portion of said hollow reservoir means.

6. A pacier comprising, in combination, a hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means made of elastic sheet material, having at one end at least one small delivery opening and having an inlet opening at the other end for introduction of liquid substance into the interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means; hollow reservoir means located on the other end of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means comprising a slightly conical bottom portion formed with a center opening surrounded by attaching means for removably attaching said other end of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means, and a bell-shaped portion removably attached to said bottom portion and having at its end opposite said bottom portion a feed opening; closure means for closing said feed opening in said bell-shaped portion of said hollow reservoir means; and a split carrier ring attached to said closure means.

7. A paciier comprising, in combination, a hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means made of elastic sheet material, having at one end at least one small delivery opening and having an inlet opening at the other end for introduction of liquid substance into the interior of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means; hollow reservoir means located on the other end of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means comprising a slightly conical bottom portion formed lwith a center opening surrounded by attaching means for removably attaching said other end of said hollow elongated bag-shaped sucking means, and a bell-shaped portion removably attached to said bottom portion; and a carrier ring attached to said bell-shaped portion of said hollow reservoir means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,122,306 Reschke Dec. 29, 1914 1,582,003 Griths Apr. 20, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,489 Great Britain Jan. 2, 1897 20,508 Great Britain Nov. 21, 1912 12,168 Great Britain Dec. 17, 1914 239,676 Great Britain Sept. 17, 1925 

